All the future brides out there, listen up. The royals have some solid ideas and inspiration for weddings that can be translated to a commoner ceremony, too. Whether a person is already engaged and planning — or they have a Pinterest board going for a dream ceremony off in the future — these royal wedding tips are helpful for everyone.
Royal weddings have always been big and exciting affairs for people in the UK and around the world, but the interest in and reach of these ceremonies has widened thanks to television and internet. Back in 1981, 750 million people around the world tuned in to watch Lady Diana Spencer wed Prince Charles. Fast forward to modern royal times, and 1.9 billion people watched Meghan Markle's wedding in May of 2018. The royals have a ton of influence on people all over the globe, and those people are watching these weddings and noting their favorite parts.
Now it's time to use those ideas in everyday ceremonies, too.
Blush Tones
It's not called millennial pink for no reason! This color is extremely popular with the same demographic most likely walking down the aisle these days. For her July wedding earlier this year, Princess Beatrice went with a blush pink color palette in her flowers, and it's also the same color that Pippa Middleton had her bridesmaids wear for her 2017 wedding. Her young bridesmaids wore pale pink sashes and shoes, and Kate Middleton also came dressed to match.
Today's brides can take a page out of either book with blush bridesmaid dresses, or flowers (or both!) for their own weddings.
Or Green & White Tones
For those who aren't so sure about pink hues in their wedding, they can take the lead from Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding, as well as Kate Middleton and Prince William's wedding and Princess Eugenie's wedding. All three of those weddings went with a green and white color palette. They used green and white flowers in their bouquets, and dressed their bridesmaids in white dresses with green and white flowers in their hair. It's a neutral and clean color combination that would work with a lot of themes.
Choosing a Dress With a Long Train
A statement dress can say so much at a wedding, just like it did in Princess Diana's ceremony with Prince Charles. Her train was 25 feet long, the longest ever seen at a royal wedding. A 25-foot train isn't quite as practical for a non-royal wedding, but don't be afraid to get a little dramatic with some extra fabric — especially for brides walking down a lengthy aisle.
Using a Lengthy Veil
Alternatively, brides can choose to go the Duchess of Sussex route with a dramatically long veil and a regular-length dress instead. When Meghan Markle stepped out of her car and unfurled this stunning 16-foot veil, many people were obsessed. Again, 16 feet might be a bit excessive, but don't be afraid to make the veil the statement piece even over the dress itself.
Reception Costume Change
They key thing if a bride does choose a long train or veil is that those aren't necessarily practical for a reception party. In that case, they can do what Meghan Markle did: Change into a different, shorter dress for the after-party. Meghan went with this chic Stella McCartney outfit for hers.
Riding Off in Style
Meghan and Harry also upped the cool factor at their wedding by riding off in a sleek blue E-Type Concept Zero Jaguar car. If a sweet luxury ride is the kind of thing a bride and groom can rent or borrow for a day, it may be worth it. Limos are kind of outdated, and riding off in style makes for great photos.
Don't Fear a Simple Hairdo
Sometimes, brides may think they need to go overly complicated for their wedding day hairstyle. It feels like a special occasion should require a fancy, out-of-the-ordinary updo, but Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle show that a simple hairstyle can also work. Kate just did a half-up, half-down look for hers — which also happens to be one of her everyday styles — and Meghan did a messy bun for her wedding day. So, think beyond the super hairsprayed updo.
Lean Into the Season
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank got married in October 2018, and they really leaned into the season that their ceremony took place in. They even had a wedding cake decorated with fall foliage as a nod to the time of year. Whether a wedding takes place in the spring, summer, fall, or winter, thinking about special seasonal touches to add to the ceremony is always a good idea.
Carry a Waterfall Bouquet
Princess Diana notably had a waterfall bouquet at her wedding, as did the Countess of Wessex when she married Prince Edward, and Queen Elizabeth when she married Prince Philip. A waterfall bouquet is created so the flowers spill downwards, and it can be a really pretty addition to a bride's wedding day look.
Or Opt for Flowers on the Smaller Side
The alternative to the waterfall bouquet is having a more understated bouquet of flowers to carry. That's what Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, went with, as did Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle. It's really bride's preference, but bigger isn't always better, and a small bouquet can still make a statement.
Appliqué Can Go a Long Way
The Queen got married way back in 1947 (she was still Princess Elizabeth at the time), but her stunning dress would be just as pretty on a 2020 bride. She opted for a highly decorated dress with a long silk train covered in appliqué flowers. Sometimes, appliqué work can look outdated, but this pretty design stands the test of time.
Off-the-Shoulder Is In
One dress style that has been popularized by royals in recent years is the off-the-shoulder look. Meghan Markle did it with her 2018 gown, and Princess Eugenie joined her a handful of months later. Now, off-the-shoulder is typically considered against royal protocol, but royal weddings seem to be special occasions where that protocol doesn't come into play as much.
Decorating the Venue in Flowers
Both Meghan Markle and Princess Beatrice followed a trend for their weddings that's popular on Pinterest. They decked out the front of their chapels in a luscious flower arch. It gives off the impression that the bride and groom are walking out of a woodsy fairy tale, and it's absolutely breathtaking.
Mix It Up With the Cake
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding cake broke with royal tradition. Instead of being a classic British fruitcake, theirs was a sponge cake flavored with lemon and elderflower. They also broke up the tiers and stacked them on various gold plates — a creative way to keep the dessert from looking like every other consecutive tiered cake out there. For brides who want to mix things up, the cake flavor and presentation is a great way to do that.
Wear a Tiara
Crowns don't have to just be for royalty. (Any bride can wear a tiara for her wedding day.) Will it be as large and expensive as the ones the royals get to wear? Probably not, but there's no reason not to add some bling to the hair for the big day. It doesn't even have to be real if it just looks good enough for the pictures. Have some fun with it!
